25 Most Dangerous Cities in the World

All Cities are not created equal. In some, murder, rape and kidnappings are rife on the streets. Simply leaving your house decreases your life expectancy drastically. Here we look at the 25 most dangerous cities in the world.

1. Los Cabos, Mexico

With a murder rate of 111.3 per 100,000 people, Los Cabos is the most dangerous city in the world. This resort city in Mexico has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons chief among them drug-related murders.

2. Caracas, Venezuela

The Venezuelan capital is an essential commercial hub in Latin America, but it’s also the most dangerous capital city in the world. Muggings and cases of carjacking are a common occurrence in the streets.

3. San Pedro Sula, Honduras

Averaging of 3 murders a day, Honduras’ second city, San Pedro Sula, is one of the most violent places on earth. Most of these murders are gang related. The corrupt government, a broken legal system, and ineffective police force are the main reasons for the rot in the city.

4. Acapulco, Mexico

Once a wondrous Mexican tourist destination, Acapulco has been turned by the drug cartels into the second most murderous city in Mexico. Drug addicts and cartel hit men now roam the once peaceful, palm-fringed beaches where tourists would bask blissfully not so long ago.

5. Natal, Brazil

Warring gangs in Natal hold more power than the police. That is why murder and violent crime are very prevalent in this city where tourists once flocked to marvel at the 16th– century Portuguese fortresses. The city has a homicide rate of about 102.56 murders per 100,000 people.

6. Tijuana, Mexico

Located just south of California, Tijuana is a popular tourist destination with bustling streets and many historical landmarks. In recent years, the city has experienced a steady rise in murders perpetrated by rival gangs.

7. Kinsasha, Democratic Republic of Congo

Rape, gang violence, poor sanitation, property damage and disease plague the capital of the DRC. The relentless fight to control the diamond mines by warring rebel factions have left the nation poor and unable to protect its citizens.

8. Ciudad Victoria, Mexico

Like in other Mexican cities, the government has failed to control the violence perpetrated by drug cartels and militias in Ciudad Victoria.

9. Valencia, Venezuela

The city of Valencia is relatively small and has a population of nearly a million. In the last two decades, the number of murders and kidnappings has skyrocketed and show no signs of abating.

10. Palmira, Colombia

Kidnappings, extortions, and murders committed by the drug cartels and guerilla militias in an attempt to secure the Pacific coast drug trafficking routes have turned Palmira into one of the most dangerous cities in the world.

11. Port Moresby, Papau New Guinea

The capital of Papau New Guinea, Port Moresby, has also been ranked as one of the least livable cities according to the Global Livability Index. This is in part due to the high rate of violent crime including armed robbery and rape in the city.

12. Muzaffarabad, Kashmir, Pakistan

The serene lakes, lush landscape and beautiful culture make Muzaffarabad a beautiful paradise on earth. This beauty is however marred by the frequent demonstrations and violence on the streets. Due to its location, the possibility of a nuclear holocaust in the city is genuine.

13. Culiacán, Mexico

Culiacan city in the northwestern state of Sinaloa has for a long time been a hub for drug cartel activity in Mexico. As a result, the city’s murder rate has been consistently high.

14. St Louis Missouri, USA

Since the Ferguson riots in 2014/15, violence has been brewing in the US state of Missouri. More cases of crime and deadly shootings have been reported in recent years especially in the marginalized neighborhoods. St Louis is now one of the most dangerous cities in the world.

15. Fortaleza, Brazil

Fortaleza, which is the capital of Ceara state, is a popular tourist destination due to its beautiful beaches and neo-Gothic architecture. However, due to the presence of drug cartels in the area the rate of violent crimes has been on the rise.

16. Port-U-Prince, Haiti

Haiti has been for a long time home to a vast criminal underworld dealing in all forms of vices from drug trafficking to armed robberies. The rising poverty, high prevalence of disease and fallout from natural disasters like the 2010 earthquake has left the capital at the mercy of criminal gangs and traffickers.

17. Cape Town, South Africa

After decades of apartheid, it is easy to understand why this beautiful city in South Africa is plagued by kidnappings, murders, and armed robberies. Social and economic disparities among the communities living in Cape Town have been primarily blamed for the insecurity.

18. Kingston, Jamaica

Although local authorities have stepped up their efforts in the fight against the criminal gangs in Jamaica’s capital, murder rates are still high.

19. San Salvador, El Salvador

Gang-on-gang violence and extrajudicial executions of gang members by vigilante groups are the main reasons that the capital of El Salvador is on this list. For decades, the country has been overrun by gangs that traffic drugs to the US.

20. Aracaju, Brazil

This emerging tourist hub in eastern Brazil has attracted drug trade and gang activity which has resulted in a devastating rise in murder cases over the last few years.

21. Baltimore, United States

Violent crimes and murders have become more common in the downtown area of Baltimore. Reasons for this include joblessness, opioid dealing and an increase in the number of unregistered firearms.

22. Guatemala, Guatemala

Guatemala City has for a long time been one of the world’s murder capitals. The country of Guatemala like its neighbors, El Salvador, and Honduras, has been ravaged for years by drug traffickers and violent gangs.

23. Lagos, Nigeria

The former Nigerian capital is one of the most populated cities in the continent. The consequence of this drastic population growth has been a rise in cases of unemployment, homelessness, poverty, and crime. Measures to quell the rising insecurity have failed miserably.

24. Maturín, Venezuela

Proximity to the Caribbean Sea makes Maturin not only an important regional transport hub but also a drug traffickers’ paradise. The battle for supremacy between the drug cartels and corrupt law enforcement has raised the murder rate in Maturin to around 86 per 100,000.

25. Salvador, Brazil

Its location on Brazil’s northeastern coast made Salvador an important historical, economic and cultural port city. Over the years, widespread poverty has led many of its residents to a life of violent crime and drugs.